Courtship
by Enide Dear
Summary: Cid has an emotional problem that he needs Vincent's help to solve.


Title: Courtship  
>Author: Enide Dear<br>Pairing: Valenwind  
>Rating: some violence<br>Summary: Cid has an emotional problem that he needs Vincent's help to solve.

"Viiiiiiinceeeeeent!" The shrill scream echoed across the Highwind, bounced off the sturdy metal, made windows rattle, sent crewmembers and gulls fleeing for their lives and didn't succeed in making its intended target even raise an eyebrow. The small stirring of red cape across his face off an annoyed sigh was the only sign that the gunman hade even heard the bone-piercing yell, but he did turn as the sound of smal running feet approached.

Honestly, in his days the word 'ninja' had meant stealth and subterfuge. How this annoying girl could even call herself by that name was a mystery.

"Vincent!" He managed to dodge to one side as she tried to throw herself around him, using the flowing cape much as a bullfighter did. Unfortunately, loud and irritating as she was, Yuffie had a ninja's reflexes and managed not to crash face first into the wall. Her usually so perky face was distraught and a bit frightened as she turned towards him; for a second he felt a pang of bad conscience. She seemed honestly distressed this time. "Vincent, you have to come and help!" She grabbed his cape, jumping up and down. "Cid is in a really bad mood!"

He stared down at her and she punched him in the chest. Ow.

"Don't you sarcastically raise your eyebrow at me! I know the old man have anger issues, but this time it wasn't my fault! And Vince…" her voice suddenly dropped several octaves and she looked like a tiny slip of a sixteen year old girl again. Damn ninja chameleon. "…I think he's drunk."

That made Vincent twitch. Drunk? He'd never seen the chief with anything stonger than his hideously bitter cup of Earl ShinRa.

"And he's *flying* this ship!" Yuffie whined, still clutching Vincent's shirt. "Friends don't let friends fly drunk! You have to do something!"

"Why me?" Vincent muttered to the world in general, prying the tiny fists away.

Yuffie gave him a funny look.

"Well, who else *is* there?" She asked archingly.

Vincent couldn't argue with that.

Vincent was relieved when he didn't find Cid by the steering wheel; the autopilot was blipping happily and the sky was clear and blue so he didn't expect there to be any surprises. He was, however, not so relieved when he found the blonde captain in the kitchen, downing a glass of whiskey.

"Chief?" The gunman mumbled, just loud enough to make the blonde jump and turn.

"Oh, it's ya, Vince." The captain shot him a furtive look, fiddling with his empty glass. He looked rather cute like this, flustered and embarrassed and slightly drunk. "Yeah, I guess it's just as well." Cid sighed, sitting down heavily in a kitchen chair and kicking out another for Vincent who sat solemnly. "I needed ta talk ta ya anyway. Ya know, man ta man?"

Vincent nodded. A tingling feeling of excitement stirred inside him; he had expected this to happen for quite some time now. And it wasn't all that surprising that it was the forward captain who took the initiative.

"Ya see…" Cid's cheeks were still a bit red and he kept fiddling distracted with his glass. "Lately I've been having these….feelings, ya know?" He glanced up at the stoic red eyes, then quickly away. "About a…a certain someone. In Avalanche. Ya know, that they…like me."

Vincent tried to control the giddiness welling up inside. His 'courtship' had been subtle; little things like bringing the captain his tea when he stood by the wheel, giving him presents (mostly tea and cigs; Cid wasn't the flowers and chocolate type), being by his side in fighting. He was glad his affection had not gone unnoticed. Yet he couldn't help but tease a little.

"It is perfectly understandable. You are a handsome man and both Tifa and Aerith are attractive young females…"

"No, no." Cid roughly cut him off. "I mean, yeah, there's nothing wrong with them. But they ain't my type, ya know?" He gave the gunman a pleading look that melted Vincent's insides. Oh, to take the pilot away from all of this and into his bedroom!

"You are…gay?" Vincent asked mildly as if it wasn't glaringly obvious, huge breasted Junon poser girl painted on the floor or not.

"Yeah." Cid's whiskey glass threatened to fall to the floor any second the way he was nervously juggling it. Vincent mildly put his hand on Cid's, stilling the motion. Blue eyes looked up, straight into red ones.

"Chief…I'm glad to hear it." He smiled a little, that secret smile he saved only for his captain. And it was *his* captain. Woe to anyone who dared approach him!

"Good." Cid didn't seem to be able to look away, hypnotized by burgundy eyes. "'Cause lately I've been feeling…and correct me if I'm wrong, but yer the ex-Turk here so I figure ya've noticed things like this…that someone in Avalanche is attracted ta me to."

"I think you might be right in that assumption, chief." Vincent said solemnly, already playing bedroom scenes in his mind. Damn restrictive leather pants.

"This person…he's always around. Always helpin' me out. Always *there* for me, if ya get my drift." Cid smiled a little, but then became serious. "I think he's wooing me."

"That…might be so." Oh, they would have the wedding on the Highwind - Cid would love that - and the captain would wear his handsome white uniform and Vincent could almost taste the tea and tobacco on his lips as he crushed them against his own…..and maybe as a wedding gift, he'd get to toss the ninja overboard?

"But I've been hesitating." Cid said slowly, looking down at Vincent's hand on his. "'Cause, ya know, I wasn't sure."

"Maybe 'he' was simply being a bit shy? Wondering how his affections would be received?" Vincent offered, hoping the fact that he was undressing the blonde with his mind didn't show. Would his chest be bare or sprinkled with gold against tanned skin? Ah, the pleasures to find out!

"I ain't sure about my feelings either, ya know. I mean…I ain't never been this courted before. I aint' used ta someone else coming on ta me, ya know? Makes me a bit nervous. It ain't that he ain't attractive or anything," Cid added quickly. "But…not the type I've fallen for before, see? And we're a team in Avalanche. Romances within a team ain't always a good thing."

"Chief…I understand that you are hesitating. But I really think you should give this a chance. Love is too rare to let an opportunity go to waste."

"Yer right. Yer rigth!" Cid nodded and sat up straighter. "So the next time Cloud grabs my ass, I'm jest gonna let him pull me away ta the nearest room!"

"What?" Vincent got out of the chair so fast it flew across the room. Cid didn't seem to notice, too caught up in his reveries.

"I mean, blondes ain't really my type, but ya gotta try something new once in a while, rigth? And this whole being courted shit is pretty fun. He bought me a new spear yesterday."

"Did he now?" Vincent's voice could have rivalled Shiva's in terms of ice. Cid prattled on.

"Maybe he'll prove quite the devil in the sack… uuumph!" He gasped as Vincent grabbed his dog tags, pulling him roughly in to kiss him, hard enough to leave the pilot gasping for air.

"You," Vincent growled as he finally let go, "will *stay here*!" He pulled out Cerberus, slamming the bullets in place and cocking the gun. "I will show you who is the only devil around here!" He roared, stalking away from the still groggy captain.

Cid grinned evilly, helping himself to another glass of whiskey as the sound of bullets spewing and ex Solider screaming started to echo over the ship. Yeah, he didn't mind if a guy was being forward or anything. Just as long as it was the right guy.


End file.
